The recognition of one's exercise of sexual rights and reproductive rights, including the right to health, sexual health and reproductive health are critical matters. Also critical, and especially for women in a patriarchal society are rights related to contraception, natality control, and education on fertility matters since these rights contribute to women's control over their own bodies.
In Peru, between 1995 and 1998, and as recently as May of 2003, documented evidence points to legislation and institutional practices that continue to deny women these rights thus affecting their lives, the lives of their children and the outcome for their unborn.
The Peruvian government, in enacting the 1995 National Population Law (hereinafter 1995 NPL) applied under the "1996--2000 Family Planning Program" and guided by the "Procedural Manuals for Sterilisations" reinforces these beliefs. In so doing, the state contributes to the oppression and domination of marginalised social groups while alienating some bodies from fertility choices and transforming them into objects of manipulation.
Four main chapters constitute this thesis, as well as an introduction, conclusion, and appendices. The introduction presents an overview of reproductive health, or lack thereof, in Peru.
Chapter One introduces the examined material through a literature review, as the basis for the following chapters. Chapters Two and Three, address theory and methodology respectively acting as lenses and suggesting ways of examining the oppression that disables marginalized social groups.
In light of the foregoing chapters, Chapter Four analyses the stories of oppression and domination of marginalized social groups, embodied in state sanctioned practices of fertility control. Bringing the margins to the centre, this portion of the story relies on the testimony of the women themselves, reflecting their voices and opinions as producers of knowledge rather than victims.
This research work closes with questions formulated to elicit further stories, and reaffirms its aim to serve as a basis for political consciousness, social change and activism through academic means. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/26767 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Senn, Guillermo |
| Publisher | University of Ottawa (Canada) |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 153 p. |
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